Tonight’s match at Barrow will be Wimbledon’s third away match in six days, but captain Will Nightingale can’t wait to lead the Dons into an FA Cup battle.
Will was involved two seasons ago in that memorable FA Cup run that included a 4-2 win against Premier League club West Ham, but he knows that his side must come through a tough challenge in Cumbria to even contemplate more nights like that.
“It’s a quick turnaround (from Tuesday), but as players you want games coming thick and fast, so bring it on,” said Will. “I am looking forward to it and so are all the boys too. Hopefully, we can have another cup run like we did the other year when we got to the fifth round. That showed that you should go into every game wanting to win, and I think that’s the attitude that we need to have this season. We have to go into games with confidence, so let’s kick on.
“We have to concentrate on a game at a time, as they come at you, and Barrow is our next game, so we want to get the win. We’ve always done quite well in the FA Cup, so hopefully we can continue that for the club.”
Tonight’s match offers a chance to get back on track this season after a rare away defeat this season – the 2-1 loss at Gillingham.
“We had been on a good little run, and we wanted to keep that going really. It was sloppy to let that slip as we knew we were good enough to get the win. We have to keep our heads up, and get ready for the next game.
“Gillingham are a side that do try to play with a bit of intensity, and they do try to stick it on you really. We are more than capable of dealing with that, so we are disappointed. We will have to look at it, and improve.Not one team has outplayed us this season, or beaten us comfortably. We are always in games, and I think we just have to step it up, and try to assert ourselves a bit more.
“The manager is trying to keep everyone happy at the moment, and it’s up to the boys that play to impress and show that they should be playing. I think Rudi has done well in the last couple of games when he has come on, he has tried to have an impact on the games, and he’s a clever player. Ollie is also a big presence and we need to play to people’s strengths.”